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Right by My Side
"Right by My Side" is a song by Trinidadian-American recording artist, Nicki Minaj, taken from her sophomore studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012). The song also features additional vocals from R&B artist Chris Brown. "Right by My Side" was written by Ester Dean, Minaj, Safaree Samuels, and Teyana Taylor, while production was handled by Andrew "Pop" Wansel, Oak, JProof, and Flip. On March 20, 2012, Minaj released the song early, tweeting the link to the song, as well as streaming it on her official website. On March 27, 2012, "Right by My Side" was given a proper release as the second official single, which included U.S. Rhythmic and Urban on the same day. Musically, "Right by My Side" is an upbeat, downtempo pop ballad infused with elements of R&B and hip hop. It has been heavily compared to several other songs, including Jordan Sparks "No Air", in which Brown was featured on, Rihanna's "You da One", and even Minaj's own track "Right Thru Me". Critics noted the songs "bubbly" persona, as well as it's high quality production. "Right by My Side" received mixed reviews from critics, while some complimented the fun atmosphere of the song, others slammed it for being too generic and not enough rapping. Brown's inclusion on the song also caused mild controversy from critics. Minaj performed the song live for the first time on 106 & Park on April 3, 2012. Minaj also performed the single during her surprise appearance at the Nokia Lumia 900 launch in Times Square. "Right by My Side" was confirmed through Minaj's official twitter to be accompanied by a music video. Background and Composition It was leaked on March 20, 2012, after Nicki Minaj Tweeted "LISTEN !!! #RightByMySide ft. Chris Brown" and released the song on her website. In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, Minaj said about the song: “Toward the end of the album I wanted something more melodic that I could give to urban radio and that pop radio could enjoy as well. I actually had the beats for like 3 months just sitting in my computer and then I said, ‘You know what? This sounds like a summer, R&B classic joint’ and I just could not hear anyone else on it but Chris Brown. So I reached out to Ester Dean and I said, ‘Could you write something for Chris Brown?’ Because she’s amazing with writing and especially for his voice, she has a great skill to write for his tone and she sent it, i fell in love with it, you know cause everybody has had a releationship like this song is talking about, so i went in and i wrote my rap, cause i'm rapping and singing in the song, and when we put it all together and let people hear it, everybody was like, this is a hit, release this asap". "Right by My Side" is an upbeat take on a downtempo pop ballad. The song is also heavily influenced by R&B, and features a "glossy", "bubbly" production. Some critics found similarities between "Right by My Side" and other songs by fellow female R&B artists, specifically Jordan Sparks and Rihanna. Both Justin Ray of Billboard, Andrew Hampp of Billboard, and Robbie Daw of Idolator found the lyrics and themes similar to those of Sparks 2008 single "No Air" which also featured Brown, Andrew Unterberger of Popdust felt the song was a more successful version of Rihanna's "You da One". Critical Reception "Right by My Side" received generally mixed reviews from critics, with some complimenting it's production, while others called it "too generic". Andrew Hampp of Billboard said the song sounded "sonically similar to Jordan Sparks and Brown's "No Air", while he complimented Minaj for letting her guard down. Jesal Padania of Rap Reviews criticized the song for being weak, as well as commenting on the choice to release it as a single, saying "I guess they choose star power over star quality." Andrew Martin of Prefix Magazine was disappointed that the song featured almost no rapping, and called it another "soft-as-hell ballad." In a separate article, Justin Ray of Billboard gave a positive review of the song, and praised Brown's verse. Music Video In early April 2012, a fan asked Minaj what the next video that will be shot would be, where Minaj replied "Right By My Side". Live Performances Minaj performed "Right by My Side" live for the first time on April 3, 2012 on 106 & Park, along with "Beez in the Trap", "Roman Reloaded", "HOV Lane", "I Am Your Leader", "Champion", and "Fire Burns". She also surprised fans by performing the single for the launch of Nokia Lumia 900 in Times Square on April 6, 2012. Chart Performance Upon being released, "Right by My Side" entered US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at 52, in its opening week, and has currently peaked at 40 on the chart. Track Listing Digital Download #Right by My Side (feat. Chris Brown) Category:Nicki Minaj discography Category:Songs by Nicki Minaj Category:Singles from Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Category:Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Category:Songs featuring Chris Brown